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TESTFEST: Best sports car over $50k

The Mercedes AMG C 63 S, in spite of its boxy appearance, leaves drivers with the need to keep going.

It's big, boxy and wickedly fast. The Mercedes AMG C 63 S is a formidable driving machine on the street or the track. (Emily Atkins / for the Toronto Star)

The Ford Shelby GT350 and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 await testing in the sports - performance (over $50k) category at The 2016 Canadian Car of the Year Awards at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. (Randy Risling / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

A 2016 Lexus RC 350 AWD is taken on to the small track at Mosport during TestFest. (Chris So / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

A proper sports car should leave the driver with a giant grin, and the urgent need to keep on driving.

Mercedes AMG C 63 S – $96,900 as tested

Part of the appeal of this car is its stealth nature. It looks like a boxy, big Mercedes sedan, and would not be out of place with a uniformed chauffeur at the wheel.

But if you owned it and had even an ounce of octane in your blood, that poor driver would be out of a job.

Driving the AMG C 63 S is pure pleasure. The sensuous, luxurious interior, with AMG sport seats, ensures comfort and ease on drives of any duration. The world outside may be blurring past, but inside it is snug and quiet.

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Out on the road it’s a comfortable cruiser—until you switch the drive mode to sport and activate the snorting, burbling exhaust. Now put your foot down, and the 503 hp V8 twin turbo propels the car from zero to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.

We tested the AMG C 63 S on the track, with a full load of adults aboard. Not only did it accelerate like a champion, it handled the corners with amazing agility and finesse—and left us all giggling with delight.

For the money, you get the amazing driving experience and a comprehensive suite of safety, performance and driver assistance options. I think it's got more class—and style—than any of the competitors in this category.

Cadillac ATS-V – $86,630 as tested

This big, four-door sedan is a comfortable grand touring car with enough oomph to let the rear end hang out around corners.

It sounds great, has an understated and distinctly masculine interior, and swallows up bumps in the road for a very quiet ride. One flaw is the very low rear headroom.

The 3.6-litre twin turbo makes 464 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque, and an eight-speed automatic in the model we tested delivers power to the rear wheels. The base model comes with a manual transmission.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – $93,330 as tested

Please take this ‘Vette to the track.

Everything about this car—from the flying wedge shape, to the "Racing Yellow" paint, to the stripped down interior—screams "track beast".

And that's before you fire up the 6.2-litre supercharged V8 that makes 650 hp and lb-ft of torque under car's long snout. It delivers head-snapping acceleration and a fearsome, biting growl that begs you to let it loose.

Utterly pointless on public roads, this wonderful car needs a lapping or racing venue to truly show off its stuff.

Ford Shelby GT350 – $72,699 as tested

What a blast and what a bargain—Ford has really nailed it with the Shelby GT350.

It's loud, brash, aggressively good looking and handles extremely well on the track.

With Ford's most powerful naturally-aspirated production engine under the hood, a 5.2-litre V8 making 526 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque, the GT350 powers from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

That's combined with a host of handling and safety features, a comfortable interior, and good road manners.

Lexus RC 350 AWD – $61,100 as tested

The Lexus entry in this category is both the least powerful—with a 3.5-litre V6 offering 307 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque—and the least expensive.

The RC 350 is comfortable and has good visibility. The 6-speed automatic is smooth and responsive.

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